Part 1 Outside

Luke ran frantic into the bathroom, his hands reaching for draws forcefully pulling them out, fingers moving over items aggressively knocking things aside; he slammed one hard almost catching one finger in the process as he did it. "Calm down" he heard come from the next room- voice controlled and tranquil like. "It's not serious babe, please take your time." Luke's pace slowed; listening to the soothing sound of Reid's voice seemed to have the right effect on him.

Luke inhaled a few times, his eyes glancing at the medicine cabinet. Reaching out quickly he flung it open, his eyes rolling on cue. "why wasn't this, the first thing I checked?" He mumbled, as his fingers wrapped around a small bottle, his other hand grabbing at something else. Shaking his head in annoyance with himself, he ran from the room- not even bothering to close the cabinet.

"Is he!-" Luke stopped dead in his tracks, his run turning into a tip toe, watching as Reid put his pointer finger to his lips in hush mode, while his other hand ran soothingly through Noah's thick mane. "Is he okay?" Luke whispered moving closer to the bed.

Reid smiled and patted the vacant spot beside him, silently asking Luke to take a seat. Luke shifted his eyes to Noah, who lay on his stomach, his cheek pressed hard into Reid's inner thigh. Luke bit his bottom lip and stepped closer "he looks…is he alright?"

"He my not look it" Reid starts, as he looks down at Noah, his hand curling into a fist noticing how Luke overlooked his gesture "….but he's fine." He looks back up at Luke, his fist opening up, patting the area again "….come sit with me; we'll watch a little television." Luke doesn't say anything, his eyes still focused on Noah. After a few seconds, Luke steps back shaking his head "Luke?" Reid says confused by his behavior.

"No, it's alright" He finally says. "Noah looks like he may need some rest… peace, and quiet, you know?" He gives a small smile his eyes looking glossy "….besides, I don't think there's room for me really anyway."

The way Luke speaks, it makes Reid worry "wait, what?" Luke tilts his head to the side, as he runs his eyes over Noah's sleeping form, completely blocking out Reid's reaction.

Noah lay bare between Reid's legs, his breathing shallow. Sweat covered him from head to toe; Reid having removed his shirt earlier because of it. The only thing gracing his body as he slept was a pair of dark blue boxer briefs. A wash cloth lay across his forehead, Reid's attempt at breaking the fever that attacked his body; the material being held in place with the help of Reid's thigh.

They took up most of the bed; Noah's body was splayed out sloppily across it, his feet hanging off the side like a child in the middle of a restless sleep. Reid had to lift one of his legs up in order to give him room. "I don't want to disturb him" Luke said as he placed the items next to Reid. "I'll sleep on the couch tonight."

"You don't have to do that."

"…just make sure you put that on his chest" Luke said ignoring Reid's words.

Reid smirks looking down at Noah, his hand still running through his hair, "if he turns around I will, I highly doubt he will though, he looks comfortable this way."

Luke runs his hands through his hair nervously, "well, he needs to also take the medicine, maybe you should wake him?"

Reid looks up, his hand reaching out. "Luke, he's fine, just come here. Don't go."

Luke ignores the hand and picks up the Vicks off the bed "you know what? He doesn't have to turn over, I can just put some on his neck and that should help." Reid furrows his brow in confusing, his hand dropping to his side watching as Luke unscrewed the bottle. "I knew as soon as Ethan sneezed on him, he was in trouble" Luke said shaking his head. He moved around the bed trying to get a better look at Noah's face, seeing if he could angle his hand the right way to reach his neck.

Reid laughs softly "well, kid germs are the one's that seem to spread the most" Reid's hand ends back up in Noah's hair, the ends of tips curling around fingers "…. they're special in that way." Reid looked back up at Luke, a big smile on his face. He's trying real hard to get Luke to laugh and failing miserably. "He'll be okay though… in a couple of days." Reid winks at Luke still trying to pull him in "let's just hope we don't catch what he has." Seeing that the same distant look still lives on Luke's face as he rubs around Noah's neck, Reid tries patting the empty space again, hoping it entices "forget about that Luke, he's okay, just let him sleep…come on sit" Reid's eyes stay on Luke, watching as he continues rubbing in a circular motion around Noah's neck, or at least the areas he can reach. "Come on Luke," Reid tries again.

When Luke doesn't budge, Reid knows for sure something is definitely wrong and wonders what the hell it could be "Luke?" At the sound of Reid's voice again, Luke shakes his head dismissively, the tips of his fingers delicately touching Noah's neck; spreading the ointment over his Adam's apple and one collar bone "leave it Luke, it doesn't matter, rest is really what he needs."

Luke pouts sadly as he looks down at Noah's sleeping form "are you sure?" He ask looking at Reid "I just don't want him in too much pain."

"I am the doctor right?" Luke cocks his brow waiting for an answer, that's to his liking. Realizing this, Reid rolls his eyes "of course I'm sure. God Luke!"

"Did you take his temperature before he fell asleep?"

Reid nods, deciding to go along with the interrogation "I did." There's a little smirk on his face as he speaks though. "Luke, Noah's fine, it's just the flu, he's not dying."

"Did it go down any?"

Reid rolls his eyes again "yes Luke, a little, the washcloth is helping."

Satisfied with Reid's answers, Luke takes a step back. He screws the top back on the Vicks and places it on the side table. "Okay, well" Luke sighs "I'll let you two get some rest." Seeing the expression that falls on Reid's face, Luke quickly looks away, he moves so fast his hand is already on the door knob before Reid can blink.

"Luke, wait. Where are you going?" Reid shifts uncomfortably on the bed trying hard not to wake Noah as he moved "don't leave."

Luke stumbles as he steps through the door, his body bumping into the frame as he enters the hall "he uh…he doesn't need me" he whispers holding his arm, where he knows a bruise is starting too form.

"Shit Luke! Are you okay?" Reid asks noticing. He shifts Noah's body again so he can stand up.

"No, no don't" Luke steps even further back, but Reid doesn't listen, and soon he's on his feet, his face mere inches from Luke's, his hand gripping at his good arm pulling him in- the other hand running through his hair. "Reid, don't, Noah need's you, and I'm okay." Reid doesn't listen instead he pulls the sleeve of Luke's tee shirt up; the beginnings of a bruise starting to form right before his eyes.

"Hissss" Reid say's under his breath "Jesus baby."

"It's fine go back-"

"Noah's not the only one that needs me." Reid's face is serious, his grip on Luke's good arm tighter, possessive. "Whatever this is… stop" Luke looks away embarrassed by the way he's acting. "What is going on with you?" Reid pulls him closer, so close his lips brush against Luke's cheek "if it's what I think it is, like I said… stop" Luke tries pulling away, this only serves to piss Reid off more "two years…two years and still?... Still? Are you serious?"

"Is Luke alright?" Noah mumbles sickly from the bed "doc, is he alright?"

Hearing Noah calling from the bed, Reid pulls himself together and turns in his direction, he doesn't let Luke's arm go though "Hush, its okay babe, he's okay…he's fine."

Noah rolls over onto his back, his head coming up "you alright Luke? I'm sorry…I'm sorry I'm sick."

"It's okay Noah" Luke says "and I'm fine…. promise."

Noah's hand comes up seeking out skin, but falls back down with a thud from exhaustion "if he's hurt, make him better doc…all better" he mumbles "come back though… come back." After a brief pause "I love you," is the last thing Noah says, before drifting back to sleep.

They both watched quietly from the door, until they were sure Noah was sleeping again. Reid's grip on Luke's arm is tighter then before, he's making sure he doesn't bolt. "What the hell's going on with you?" Reid furiously whispered, pulling Luke back in, until their chest bump together. "I thought we had an understanding?" Luke doesn't say anything and forcefully pulls himself from the hold, knocking Reid back in the process. "What the hell?" Reid say's shocked as he tries to catch his balance.

"I said I have to go" Luke backs up slowly, his hand holding the injured arm as he moves. "I'm sorry" he backs up even further, "let me know if he get's worse." Luke doesn't wait for a reply; he hurries down the hall leaving Reid standing in their bedroom entrance, a confused look on his face.

Momentarily stunned, Reid at first doesn't know what to do, this is Noah's expertise's, it's certainly not his. Reid tries his best with the emotional side of their relationship, but sometimes his skills are not enough, and although he wants to help, Reid's certain he'd fuck it up. Except even with knowing all that, he can't just let Luke stay on the couch and sleep by himself, it wouldn't be right.

Getting himself together, Reid starts to leave, when suddenly Noah turns over groaning. Reid turns around watching, as he curls into a ball, his hand reaching out searching. Seeing this, Reid sighs and closes the door; he'd have to deal with the Luke situation later. He heads over to the bed sadly looking down at Noah as he sleeps. Sighing again he reaches for the light and turns it off. Slowly he climbs into bed and scoots his body as close as possible to Noah's and wraps his arm around his waist "hot!" Noah yells, pushing the arm away "… too hot!"

Reid wants to laugh, but his thoughts are consumed with thoughts of Luke and what the hell is going on with him. "Sorry babe didn't mean it."

"…okay" Noah mumbles groaning, as he moves his head. "Is Luke okay?"

Reid swallows hard not knowing how to answer that question, because, no, Luke was not alright and no, Reid hadn't a clue as to why that was. Seeing as though nothing could be fixed tonight, Reid did the only thing he felt was right for the time being, he lied. "Luke had to run to the office baby he's alright, he had to take care of something don't worry."

Reid brings his hand up to feel at Noah's head. Seeing that he was still somewhat hot Reid got up and searched for the wash cloth. Finding it, he rushed to their bathroom and drenched it in water. For a moment he stared at himself in the bathroom mirror ashamed of himself for lying, but Reid knew he had no choice, and he also knew Luke knew that as well. Luke knew he would never tell Noah the truth while he was so sick. Most importantly they both knew Noah would try and get up and fix things.

Even with as sick as he was, if Noah had inkling of any kind that something was wrong he'd be up trying to mend it, even if he didn't know what the fuck broke. "Fucking Snyder, why do we put up with you?" Reid steps back from the sink, his head shaking slowly, one hand on his hip while the other squeezes the washcloth. "Damn it" he says sadly- not knowing what else to say. Reid leaves the bathroom, his eyes lingering down the hallway, seeing Luke's shadow as he moves around "…. because we love you, that's why" he whispers to himself "fuck."

Shaking his head, Reid enters their bedroom and closes the door, entirely unaware that Luke, who is pacing back in forth in the living room seriously doubts that.